Compartment can



J. M. HOTHERSALL 1,757,192

COMPARTMENT CAN May 6, 1930.

Filed May 16. 192

Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN M. HOTHERSALL, OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY COMPARTMENT CAN Applieation filed May 16,

products which, for various reasons, are not mixed until they are used;Anexample of such products is a bronzing paint which comprises a heavybronzing pigment and a carrying liquid which cannot well be packaged asa mixture before it is ready for use, as the heavy pigment will separateand settle at the bottom of the container, forming a hard cake whichcannot easily be remixed with the carrier fluid.

The present type of compartment can comprises a two-part container,which includes a clamping disc insertable between two containers to beconnected into a unitary package and having bendable clamping segmentsfor separately engaging over the seamed ends of the containers so thateither one may be removed from or applied to the clamping discindependently of the other container. Thus it is possible to make theseparate containers in different plantsand to assemble them into aunitary package by means of the improved clamping disc of thisinvention.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of improvedfastening means for compartment cans. a

A- further object of. the invention is th provision of a simple clampingdisc with bendable segments by means of which two containers may besecured together to form a unitary. structure easily separable to affordaccess to either container.

A further important object of the invention is in the provision of aclamping disc for compartment cans, in which the central portion isstamped out for making smaller covers and the like therefrom and to forman opening into which a tool or instrument is inserted for prying off adisc from a can-cover to which it clings.

Numerous other objects of the invention will be apparent as it is betterunderstood from the following description, which, taken in connectionwith the accompanying draw- 1927. Serial No. 191,706.

iiigs, discloses a preferred embodiment there- 0 In the drawing: Figure1 is a perspective of a compartment can embodying this invention; 7Figs. 2 and 3 are perspectives of upper and lower container elementsofthe compartment can of Fig. 1; 7

gig. 4 is a perspective of the clamping disc; an

Fig. 5 is a section of the clamping disc in position between theadjacent ends of two container elements.

Referring now more particularly to thedrawing, upper and lowercontainers 10 and 11 are separately illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 ascomprising can bodies of similar crosssection having tops 12 and bottoms13 seamed to the bodies thereof in a wellknown manner, the seamspreferably projecting from or extending slightly beyond the body of thecontainer.

In assembling a pair of such containers into a unitary structure (asshown in Fig. 1), a clamping device comprising a disc 14, preferablyformed of thin sheet metal, is interposed between the endsof containerswhich are'to be assembled, the disc being provided with means forseparately engaging the adjacent ends of the assembled containers.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, this disc 14 is radially cut orintersected about its periphery to form clamping segments 15 which arebendable oppositely from the plane of the disc to form alternateclamping por tions engageable over the top and "bottom seams of thecontainer elements contacting therewith.

It will be seen more clearly in Figs. 1 and 5 that the extremities ofthe edges of the segments 15 extend slightly beyond the seams 12 and 13to form a turned-up edge 16, which is more easily engageable in bendingthe clamping segments outwardly for removing one of the containerstherefrom, a sharp tool or instrument being commonly inserted betweenthe bent edge 16 and the body of the adjacent eontainer to pry thesegment outover which-it is bent.

i The segments of the disc are first applied to" The interior of theclamping disc is formed with a large perforation 17 so that the discremoved therefrom may beused as a recovery blank from which smallercovers, caps and the like may be formed. This opening also serves as ameans for engagement of a tool or instrument for prying the disc from acontainer cover to which it clings after one of the containers has beenremoved.

With this construction, it is obvious that the upper and lower containerelements need not be of exactly the same size in order to be Iclampingly engaged by the segments of the clamping disc, although it ispreferable that the containers are of the same size in order that theymaypresent a neat and unitary appearance, and that they may be evenlyengaged by the opposite clamping segments 15.

one end of a container, either the top or the bottom, by bending thesegments over the corresponding end seam, and thereafter the oppositeend of the other container is applied to the opposite extending clampingsegments of the disc in the same manner. For

any given .size of containers the segments may be bent alternately inopposite. directions (as shown in Fig. 4), but if desired the segmentsmay be formed and left in the plane of the remainder of the disc 14.until it is applied to a pair of conta'ners. This feature of theinvention is important for shipping and storing the clamping discs andalso for the reason that additional mechanism and work need not beperformed uponthe disc to bend the segments oppositely from Y the planeof the disc, as shown in Fig. 4.

' of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoingdescription, and

' it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the form,construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferredembodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A compartment can, comprising two independently closed containers andmeans interposed between them engaging exteriorly adjacent portions ofboth of the containers to secure them together.

2. A compartment can, comprising two'independently closed containers andhaving adjacent end seams, forming part of the closure of eachcontainer, and means interposed between the containers adapted to engageexteriorly the adjacent end seams of both of the containers for securingthe containers together in end to end position.

3. A compartment can, comprising two containers adapted for end, to endengagement, and means interposed between the containers havingprojecting clamping portions for engaging the bottom ofone container andthe top of the other to secure the containers together in a unitarypackage.

4;. A combination can, comprising upper and lower containers, saidcontainers havmg' seamed ends, and retaining means comprising adiscinterposed between the containers and projecting beyond the sidesthereof with portions to engage the bottom seam of one container and thetop seam of the. other, to secure the containers together in a unitarypackage.

5. A compartment can, comprising separate containers, and a discinterposed between the containers having marginal portions projectingbeyond the containers and adapted to be bent in clamping engagement withthe bottom of one container and with the top of the-other container forsecuring the containers together in end to end position.

' 6. A clamping disc for compartment cans having separate tongues toproject beyond the edges of the cans and bendable in either direction toengage over the end of a can above or below the disc.

7. A clamping disc for compartment cans adapted to be inserted betweentwo cans in end to end position, and the disc having a slotted flangeextending beyond the end seams of a pair of cans in contact therewith,the slots in the flange forming clamping fingers bendable in eitherdirection to engage over the seam of a can above or below it.

8. A clamping disc for compartment cans, comprising a slotted edge toextend beyond the cans to be connected, the slots forming fingers whichare bendable alternately to engage over the end seams of cans above andvelow the discs.'

9. In a clamping disc for insertion be- I tween compartment cans, aperforated central portion, and a radially slotted outer'margin, thelatter forming clamping portions bendable alternatelyin oppositedirections to engage can ends above and below the disc.

10. A compartment can, comprising two containers having adjacent endseams, one placed upon top of the other, and clamping means forseparately engaging the end seam of adjacent containers so that eithercontainer can be removed independently from the other container and saidclamping means.

11. A compartment can, comprising two containers adapted for end to endengagement, and a clamping disc insertable between the containers andhaving segments bendable oppositely into and out of separate clampingengagement, over the adjacent ends of the containers, whereby eithercontainer may be independently removed from the other container and theclamping disc.

12. A compartment can, comprising two containers having projecting endseams and aclamping disc insertable therebetween having a perforatedcentral portion and a slotted outer margin to form segments whichproject beyond the end seams, bendable alternately in oppositedirections for separate clamping engagement over the lower seam of onecontainer and the upper seam of the other, the segments beingdisengageable for separately removing one container from the disc andthe other container.

13. A compartment can, comprising containers of substantially the samecross-section and a clamping disc interposed between them having aradially cut flange projecting beyond the ends of the containers andforming bendable clamping segments for engagement alternately over theend beads of the containers, the edges of the segments being turnedoutwardly after clamping engagement with the end seams to provide meansfor the engagement of a. tool in disengaging the segments from clampingengagement with the end seam.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL.

